Share Your Idea with Your ColleaguesAsk Them to Support Your Resolution

The 2012 NCTE Committee on Resolutions encourages NCTE members to propose a resolution for consideration during the Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.

If you have concerns about issues that affect your teaching, or positions you would like to support, and you think NCTE should take a stand, you have an opportunity to be heard! You can initiate action to deal with these issues by proposing resolutions which may be voted on and passed at NCTE's Annual Convention. The Committee on Resolutions urges individual members and affiliate groups to begin preparing and submitting their resolutions now.

If passed at the Annual Business Meeting for the Board of Directors and Other Members of the Council (Friday, November 16), proposed resolutions become part of the Council's position/philosophy on questions related to the teaching of English. They are often publicized to news media, legislators, school boards, and the voting public and therefore addressed to those audiences. Resolutions also assist the Council in developing action programs on issues that affect teaching and learning.

Proposed resolutions should deal with issues not previously addressed or with aspects of issues not covered by existing resolutions. Your submission should include

a brief background statement,

be presented in proper format, and

be accompanied by the signatures of at least five NCTE members.

See the resolutions on the NCTE website for samples of the form to follow in drafting resolutions. The Committee on Resolutions can provide technical assistance in development of a new resolution. The Committee on Resolutions decides which of the submitted texts to present to the membership. See also "How NCTE Resolutions Are Submitted and Processed."

At open hearings on Friday morning, November 16, NCTE members may offer opinions about proposed resolutions. Final discussion and voting will take place during the Annual Business Meeting.

Resolutions must be postmarked by October 15, 2012. Send resolutions, including a contact name, e-mail address, and phone or fax number, to Chair, NCTE Committee on Resolutions, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096; fax: 217-278-3761. If you would like to submit your resolution by e-mail, please include the full name and NCTE member number for each of the five required members who support the resolution text.

NOTE: All NCTE members are invited to attend the Annual Business Meeting and take part in discussions and vote on resolutions on issues of concern to the profession! Please verify your membership and obtain a voting card for the meeting by presenting your NCTE membership card at the door before the start of the meeting.

Sense-of-the-House MotionsSense-of-the-house motions, which, like resolutions, are statements of position on issues facing the profession, may be prepared at the Convention and offered for discussion and action at the Annual Business Meeting. A written text of such a motion should be prepared in triplicate and handed to the NCTE President or Parliamentarian at the meeting on Friday before adoption of the agenda. Sense-of-the-house motions should be no longer than 50 words, not including background statements. Such motions, if passed, are advisory to the Executive Committee or other appropriate Council bodies.